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Wine has been appreciated globally in various different ways, whether drinking it ceremoniously, having a glass with dinner, or celebrating a special occasion. While generally socially accepted, however, wine is still alcohol, meaning it poses a risk for substance abuse and addiction.
Unfortunately, this social acceptance can make realizing when your drinking habits have become problematic difficult. One of the biggest telltale signs that your alcohol intake has reached addiction levels is if you are having withdrawal symptoms when not drinking.
Keep reading to learn more about how complicated wine withdrawal symptoms can be, and where you can find the help you need to overcome any form of alcohol use disorder!
As discussed, it can be difficult to recognize an underlying alcohol use disorder. This will be especially hard for someone who is good at hiding their habits of substance use.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) lists several signs that can be used to determine if someone has an alcohol use disorder, including:
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, meaning it slows down brain functions and interferes with the nerves’ ability to send messages back and forth to each other.
With chronic alcohol abuse, your body will adjust to the constant presence of alcohol in your system. This means it will be working extra hard to keep your brain in an awake and functioning state, as well as to maintain communication between your nerves.
Because of this, suddenly decreasing or stopping your alcohol intake will cause what is known as withdrawal syndrome, which is the body’s response to no longer having access to an abused substance.
For those with severe alcohol dependence, this condition can cause them to develop several dangerous, and possibly even life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.
Someone who has stopped drinking alcohol after abusing this substance for a long period of time will begin to experience withdrawal symptoms in as little as six hours after their last drink.
This may include both psychological and physical symptoms, depending on how severe the person’s drinking problem has become.
Some of the most common symptoms of withdrawal syndromes, while not necessarily life-threatening, can be extremely uncomfortable and difficult to manage on one’s own. These may include:
You may experience more severe symptoms as well, including alcohol hallucinosis, withdrawal seizures, and stroke, all of which can become life-threatening without proper and immediate treatment for wine addiction.
Complicated withdrawals from alcohol are one of the biggest reasons why individuals are encouraged to recover through a medically-supervised detox program before they suddenly decrease or completely stop drinking alcohol on their own.
The psychological symptoms that come with stopping drinking are often the biggest reason why alcohol can have such a complicated withdrawal process. Typical symptoms generally include anxiety and insomnia.
However, there is also a more severe side effect that comes with quitting heavy alcohol consumption. Usually developed during the earlier and most dangerous stages of alcohol withdrawal is a medical condition known as delirium tremens.
This form of severe alcohol withdrawal can be recognized by the development of uncontrollable tremors throughout the body, which is a result of the person’s system going into shock from the lack of ethanol, the main toxic ingredient in alcohol.
For someone who has become used to heavy drinking to suddenly stop their habits, this can send the neurotransmitters in their brain into overdrive as they are no longer being suppressed by their alcohol use.
If the person does not continue to drink heavily or is not properly weaned off of their alcohol use, this hyperactivity in their autonomic system can actually send their system into shock. This can even lead to a cardiovascular collapse in cases that are not immediately addressed.
Heavy drinkers who are more at high risk for developing alcohol withdrawal delirium include:
Chronic alcohol abuse can cause a number of health problems, including high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver disease, and more.
With these dangerous medical conditions, those who experience alcohol withdrawal will need extensive clinical and emotional support in order for them to successfully overcome their habits of alcohol abuse.
It is for this reason that the treatment for alcohol addiction is usually very intensive and may be more long-term than other forms of substance abuse. This allows the individual to be treated for both their psychological and clinical manifestations of alcohol abuse.
When treating wine and alcohol addiction, the most commonly used methods include medical detox programs, behavioral therapies and counseling, medication management, and recovery support groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all method for treating addiction. While one person may be experiencing mild withdrawal symptoms and require less intensive care, someone who has developed severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal will need more extensive support.
What works for someone else may not be the best option for you, so it is important to seek out a treatment program that is able to effectively address your specific needs and reduce withdrawal symptoms that you may develop during the recovery process. This may include:
With so many treatment options to choose from, it can be difficult to know which levels of care will be best for you. Speaking with your healthcare provider or an addiction specialist can help make this decision process easier, and get you started on your recovery journey faster.
Quitting your drinking habits and putting down the wine bottle for good can be a long and difficult process, especially if this drink has become ingrained in your daily routine.
In order to avoid severe withdrawal symptoms and have a safe recovery process, medical detox will likely need to be your first step on your path to sobriety.
These programs can help you gradually taper off your wine consumption, rather than quit this drink “cold turkey,” which can be extremely dangerous. Medical detox programs provide your recovery with the necessary structure and support to help you safely withdraw from alcohol use.
During this process, you will be gradually weaned off of wine while a team of licensed medical professionals monitor your vital signs and provide you with extensive support throughout this process.
This may include the use of medication management, where you will be prescribed certain medicines that can further help manage and even prevent symptoms of alcohol withdrawal from developing, as well as reduce your cravings for wine.
These types of recovery programs can provide you with your best chance at safely and successfully recovering from your wine addiction, as well as provide you with relapse prevention tools and access to resources for ongoing support.
Wine addiction can be difficult to recognize, and even harder to recover from on your own. If you are struggling with an alcohol use disorder, help is available to get you back on track with a healthier and sober lifestyle.
At Rehabs Of Armerica, our hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you find substance abuse treatment programs and recovery resources that can help you overcome your addiction and regain control over your life and habits.
Whenever you are ready to begin your recovery journey, we are here to help. Just by calling now, one of our recovery representatives can answer all of your treatment questions, and help you take the first step on your path to sobriety, today!
Nicole R. is an experienced and accomplished writer with special interests in the fields of Anthropology, English, and behavioral health, and has written countless articles for newspaper publications, institutional research journals, and Find Addiction Rehabs.
Her alma matter is Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Nicole hopes to spread awareness of and combat the stigmatization surrounding addiction and substance abuse treatment through her writing and work in the field.
